Working on it – LWD
Summary: Set after the movie.
Disclaimer:
Chapter 3
"Casey, we need to talk."
She looked up and rolled her eyes. "I see college hasn't taught you how to knock yet", she muttered sarcastically.
Derek smirked. "I think they might cover that in second semester as an elective."
"What do you want?" she sighed.
"Just wondering what you're doing with your life", he shrugged.
"Derek…" Casey sighed. "Jesse made me remember how much I loved to dance – that part of myself that I was so willing to give up because I knew I wouldn't have time for it when I started college. I owe him for that."
"No one asked you to give up dancing, Casey!" he growled exasperatedly. "You did that on your own, for whatever misguided reason. Quit taking the easy way out, Case. It's really starting to piss me off."
"Easy? Are you serious?"
"Just… swallow your righteous indignation, alright? I'm not saying that your frou-frou, twirly, ballet crap isn't hard. But right now, you're not using it for an outlet; you're just avoiding reality. Start your life already", Derek muttered.
"Why can't you ever let anything go?" she sighed tiredly.
"Since when do I have to nag you to do the right thing?" he demanded. "If this is why I drive you crazy- you know what, just suck it up! You put yourself in limbo. Make a choice."
Casey let out a wry laugh. "Don't you get it? I made my choice. You made me, if you don't remember. I chose our family. Do you have any idea what it's been like working with Bernard Blue? It's been a dream come true."
He just shook his head. "You had other dreams once too, Case", he said quietly. Then he left her bedroom, pulling the door shut behind him.
0
Casey went to talk to Derek a few hours later, once her anger had abated, and found him on the front porch steps. She sat down on the landing, looking towards the sunset.
"It will be winter soon", she said softly.
"I was harsher than I meant to be earlier", he said seriously. "You look happy, Case. And I know that you of all people needed a break from academics."
She avoided his gaze. "I almost said no. It just seemed so… crazy. Putting off college- that's not me. It felt like I was avoiding responsibility."
"Why'd you say yes?"
She smiled, laughing slightly. "Something you said to me once", she admitted. "You won't hear it from me again, but you usually give pretty decent advice."
"Now I'm curious", he smirked. "What did I say?"
"That I could use some adventure in my life and needed to stop trying to plan my whole life out", she shook her head in amusement. "And when you declared my obsessiveness over graduation as 'Futuritis'… you were right. You inspired my speech, you know. I couldn't have written it without you."
"No kidding", he teased.
Casey laughed. "Hey!"
"I heard your speech. I had Edwin rewire the loudspeaker box", he smiled. "Although that was half because I was hoping you might manage to squeak in one more Klutzilla moment and take a head dive off the stage."
She slapped his shoulder. "I'll have you know that I am very well-balanced."
"Really, Case? You're just handing over opportunity for insults now. You're a total oxy-maroon."
She sputtered. "Oxymoron", she corrected dryly.
"You're talented, Casey. Why you can't manage a straight line is beyond me."
"Why'd you yell at me?" she asked quietly.
"Come on, Casey. Despite everything I say about you, I know you're not a total bonehead." He shot her a look. "Granted, your whole side of the family is absolutely wacko, if we ignore Aunt Fiona and Icky Vicky, they're really not that bad."
She smirked. "Uh-huh… go on."
Derek made a face. "Okay, before I say anything, I'm going to warn you that the following might be a bit… complimentary. So you have to promise not to take it personally."
She raised her eyebrows. "I'll do my best", she promised mockingly, although admittedly more than a little curious as to where this was going.
"I don't think I ever really understood you until this past summer, Casey. The way Felicia was- it explained a lot."
Casey winced. "The Webster women have always been headstrong."
"So are the Venturis", he smirked. "It's not a bad thing, you know – not when you're fighting for the right things."
"I guess that's what makes our family such a formidable opponents", she murmured. "What happened with Gran... Liz and I could never have done that on our own. We needed you guys."
"You took a stand. That meant something. That was everything. I was so proud of Lizzie when she was talking to those news reporters. She gets so passionate about the things that are important to her. That whole 'take charge thing'- she gets it from you. Although I usually call you bossy", he joked.
Casey bumped him. "She gets it from you too, ya know? And I'll admit that I'm a better, more well-rounded person since your family came into our lives."
"Okay, maybe we've all rubbed off on each other a little bit", he shrugged. "You and Lizzie can infuriate the hell out of me sometimes, but-" he scrubbed his hands over his face in frustration at the length of this potentially mushy conversation.
Casey just smirked. "I won't make you say it", she teased.
"Say what?" he grumbled.
"That you love us", she sing-songed lightly.
"Ech" he feigned gagging noises. "Do not" he protested weakly.
"S'okay", she murmured. "We have warm, fuzzy feelings for you too – sometimes. Besides, you haven't done anything completely selfish in years, and overall, you're a pretty decent guy, Venturi."
He chuckled and then turned serious. "I was angry because I thought you were throwing your future away. I didn't want you to get caught up and forget. I still refuse to compare dance to hockey, but I know you love it. I just want you to remember that you have other options – things you love, things that are important to you. Do what you need to do. But do it for you. Not someone else. Make yourself happy, and you won't have any regrets. Only you know what you want from life, Casey. Don't be so single-minded. Remember to relax every once and a while."
"Thank you, Derek" she said quietly. "Are we okay now?"
"Any future enemies of this family are completely screwed, you know?" he laughed, going completely off topic.
"We make a good team", Casey nodded. "Despite the differences we've had, we still always managed to get it together when it was important."
"Had?" he asked incredulously. "You and I only get along under duress."
"Not true! We just don't admit it", she rolled her eyes. "And we keep our lives interesting."
"We may not be siblings… but family means something different."
"Family doesn't always have to mean blood", Casey said seriously.
He nodded. "You and Liz don't understand how much you're capable of sometimes. So it drives me crazy when I see you guys do stupid crap or act all insecure and dramatic."
"Insecure and dramatic?" she repeated incredulously.
He rolled his eyes. "Truman, Casey?" he reminded pointedly.
Her face scrunched. "Yeah, okay. Point taken. You know… it turns my world upside down when you're right."
"Yup", he laughed. "It's a double win for me. Just know that when you come out into the real world, you've got someone behind you."
"Well, that confirms my stalking theory", she grinned.
"We're okay, Case. Just try to stay in touch, yeah?"
"I want to go to college, Derek. I just need to do this first", she said quietly. "I don't want to look back and wonder if I missed anything."
"Yeah, well, if you're missing homework… I can always email you some of mine", he grins.
She shoves him.
0
George came home with Nora and the newest member of the family, Simon David Venturi, late the next afternoon. Casey had straightened the house into something acceptable and was starting dinner with Lizzie's help when they arrived.
Nora and the baby were pretty much huddled once she was relegated to the chaise lounge. She looked tired but mostly relaxed.
"I'm very happy the five of you managed not to burn the house down", she smiled fondly.
"Oh, yeah, I hid the matches from Casey", Derek agreed. "And we tried not to let her use the oven more than once. And I had Ed on standby with the fire extinguisher."
Casey sighed and smacked Edwin's arm. "That explains the unnecessary hovering", she muttered.
"Hey!" Edwin complained. "I thought you were 'anti-violence'!"
She sniffed with an unbelievable amount of false piousness. "That rule does not apply to the Venturis."
Derek snickered. "Most of Casey's rules have amendments by now – if they haven't been blown out of the water altogether."
"Ain't that the truth", she grumbled good-naturedly.
Lizzie grinned. "Ain't? Really, Case?"
Casey waved her off. "Eh", she shrugged.
Marti was sitting on the arm of the chair, Derek standing behind her in case she lost her balance, as she peered into the sleeping baby's face.
"What color are his eyes?" Edwin asked curiously. Simon hadn't opened his eyes wide enough for them to tell while they were in the hospital.
Nora smiled. "I think you should wait and see", she teased.
There was a mutual groan. This was the first and most likely last, McDonald-Venturi, and they had all been quite curious about what he would look like. And Edwin, Marti, and Lizzie had a bet going on.
"Oh", Casey murmured quietly. "He's waking up."
"It looks like you're all watching an egg hatch", George chuckled under his breath.
Finally, Simon blinked his eyes open fully.
"Drat", Lizzie muttered. "Ed, you and I owe Marti five bucks each."
"Crap."
"Yes! I knew it", Marti bounced on her knees lightly.
"What were you kids betting on this time?" George rolled his eyes.
"We were guessing what color Simon's eyes were going to be", Edwin explained. "Marti was right. She thought they'd match Casey's."
"Let's hope he doesn't have Casey's mouth too", Derek murmured.
Casey snorted. "Or yours, for that matter", she pointed out sending him an amiable smile.
He smirked. "Dad, I think you and Nora are going to have a handful with this one."
"Well, with the bad influence of his oldest siblings in the house, he might be alright", Edwin wiggled his eyebrows.
"Yeah, you essentially shoved all of Casey's Casey-ness and Derek's Derek-ness into the poor kid", Lizzie shook her head, wide-eyed at the thought. "Yikes."
"Hey!"
"Hey!"
"I want my money", Marti reminded.
"Fair's fair", Lizzie muttered. "We'll get it when we go upstairs. Okay?"
"Fine", she grumbled.
"Can I hold him, Mom?" Casey asked softly, fingertips brushing the fine baby hairs on his head.
Nora nodded. "Sure, hon."
"Why's Casey always get him first?" Derek complained.
Nora rolled her eyes. Always? Twice. "She asked first. You two better not start fighting over your brother like the TV remote", she warned.
"No worries, Nora. I won't tackle Case when she's holding the kid – at least not until he's older", he added jokingly.
"Do they have helmets for babies?" Casey wondered absently, snuggling Simon to her chest.
"Dropped on your head a lot, huh, Space Case?" Derek laughed.
"No, but I think you were", she retorted quietly. "That's the only logical explanation for your Derek-ness."
"Do not make my name into an adjective", he grumbled.
"Lizzie said it", Casey pointed out frowning. "And she used my name too."
"D, you made your name into a holiday", Edwin chuckled.
"Who's side are you on?" Derek griped.
"Casey, you need to check on dinner", Lizzie reminded. "It smells about done."
"Gimme!" Derek insisted, taking Simon gently out of Casey's arms. "Make sure you didn't burn dinner."
"Why do I get the feeling we won't be holding our child very often?" Nora asked George wryly.
He chuckled. "Simon's got five older siblings fighting for his attention."
"Poor kid", Edwin muttered.
"Dinner's done."
0
The week passed by quickly, and soon Casey was headed back to New York, and Derek went back to Queens, leaving their respective siblings and parents to get used to the newest family member.
0
A/N: I know I'm awful to stop here, but the next chapter will have some Lizzie/Edwin I think… Review and tell me what you think so far.